Corrective shoe



June 24, 0 F. RICHARDSON L 1,763,491

CORRECTIVE SHOE Filed April 15, 1927 AK www a.

Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRED L. RICHARDSON AND LAURIE S. MACDONALD, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS,

ASSIGNORS TO THOMPSON BROS. SHOE 80., OF BROCKTON,

' PORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- COBBECTIVE SHOE I Application filed April 15,

This invention relates to-shoes of a corrective type and is particularly intended to provide relief and remedial action for a Weak or fallen forward or metatarsal arch of the human foot.

The weakening and dropping of this metatarsal arch results in the imposition of unnatural strains upon the tendons and muscles of the foot and leg, and thus becomes a rolific source of trouble and distress. While it has been proposed to provide a spring plate for supporting this arch, nevertheless, trouble has been experienced because of the tendency of the spring plate to embed itself in the lose its resiliency. Moreover, the area of support with such construction is not sufliciently localized to give beneficial results.

The present invention overcomes these objections and provides a satisfactory remedial device for this defect in the foot by so constructing the shoe bottom as to pro vide a small raised area of the inner sole located at the medial point of the innersole along the transverse line of the metatarsal arch, this being accomplished effectively by hollowing out or reducing the inner sole at this point so as to render that portion, subtending the medial part of the metatarsal arch of. the foot, very pliable and responsive to pressure, while such reduced or thin portion rests upon an elastic compressible pad secured to the forward end of a longitudinal shank piece secured between the inner and outer soles of the shoe. This supporting pad, in conjunction with the recess or pocket in the inner-sole, forms means for preventing the lateral displacement of the forward end of the shank piece without using any positive fastening means at that point to hold it in place.

These and other features of the invention will be particularly described in the following specification and will be defined in the claims'hereto annexed. e

In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated a shoe embodying the principles of this invention in a practical and convenient form, in which. drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of a shoe, the

outer sole and also to 1927. Serial No. 184,108.

upper being broken away and the insole and its support being shown in cross section.

Figure 2 is a transverse section of the shoe bottom and a portion of the upper on the transverse line of the metatarsal arch, midway of the forward and rear ends of the compressible arch supporting pad.

F igure- 3 is a bottom plan view of the inner sole before the arch-supporting device and the outer sole is applied.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the shank piece with the elastic pad secured thereto.

In the practice of this invention, according to the form illustrated in the drawings, the shoe may be of any suitable or usual construction, and as illustrated embraces an upper 1, an inner-sole 2, an outer-sole 3, secured to the innersole in any suitable manner, as by the attaching-welts 4.

The inner-sole 2 differs from the usualinnor-sole in that the medial ortion thereof, on both sides of the line 0 the transverse arch, ishollowed out or reduced, preferably on its under side, as shown at 2 to form a pad-receiving recess and also to make this portion of the insole'very pliable and responsive to pressure from above or below.

A metallic shank-piece, preferably of thin spring steel, is interposed between the two soles and has its rear end secured to the rear portion of the insole by a clinched nail or rivet 6. The forward end of the shank-piece 5 projects beneath the recessed or thin pliable portion 2 of the inner-sole. To the forward end of the shank-piece is secured, by rivets 8 or the like, a pad of elastic compressible material, such as vulcanized rubber, the same being placed upon the top or upper side of the shank piece so as to bear directly against the thin portion 2 of the inner sole and fill the pocket formed at this point between the inner and the outer-sole.

As shown in the drawings, this pad of.

and supporting the arch at that point which is sufiiciently yielding, owing to the thinness of the inner-sole and of the compressibility of the pad, to avoid producing any harsh effect upon the foot.

Inasmuch as the convex pad is secured to the forward end of the shank-piece and nests in the scooped out or hollowed portion of the inner-sole, it forms anieans not only for yieldingly supporting this portion of the inner-sole in raised position eneath the arch, but also forms means for preventing lateral displacement of the forward end of the shank-piece which, therefore, requires no other fastening means other than the anchoring nail 6 at its rear end. As the underside of the shank-piece lies smooth and flat against the top surface of the outer-sole, and as the elastic pad is interposed between the shank-piece and the inner-sole, the chafing of the shank-piece and its imbedding into the leather is practically prevented by this construction.

\Vhat we claim is:

1. A corrective shoe embracing in its construction outer and innersoles peripherally stitched together, the underside of the innersole at its metatarsal arch portion being recessed to leave a thin flexible area of the innersole above said recess, a shank stiifener comprising a longitudinal upwardly archedstrip of spring steel of substantially flat cross section anchored to the heel portion of the innersole and extending forward to said recess, an arch supporting pad of yielding but elastic material whose convex upper side is adapted to be seated in said recess, secured to the forward end of said shank stiffener and acting through its engagement with the recess and its attachment to the unanchored forward end of said shank stiffener, to maintain both itself and the shank stiffener in correct position between the medial portion of the metatarsal arch of an inserted foot, while allowing sufficient play to accommodate the longitudinal extension of the foot when supporting the weight of the wearer.

2. A corrective shoe embracing in its construction outer and inner soles united by stitching at'their edge portions, the inner sole being cut away on the underside of its forepart to form a pad-receiving recess beneath the medial portion of the metatarsal arch area and leaving a thin flexible portion of the insole above said recess, a plano-convex pad of elastic rubber seated in said cavity with its convex side uppermost, and a shank stiffening plate having its rear end anchored to the heel portion of the inner sole and its unanchored forward end portion underlying and forming supporting contact with the fiat bottom face of said pad whereby the stiffener, when flattened by downward pressure of the foot, is permit- 

